The acquisition and analysis of electronic signals in remote locations has become easier thanks to the release of a new option for Spectrum's Ethernet based digitizer products. The Embedded Server option, DN2.xxx-Emb, can be ordered with any of the company’s digitizerNETBOX series of LXI instruments. It effectively turns them into PC based data acquisition units that can operate independently or, when connected to a LAN, as parts of a larger system.
The digitizerNETBOX family, with more than 30 different models, offers the widest choice of LXI based data acquisition capabilities. Units are available with sampling rates from 200 kS/s up to 5 GS/s, resolutions of 8, 14 and 16 bit, bandwidths up to 1.5 GHz and from 2 to 16 fully synchronous channels. The units are normally controlled via Ethernet, however, installing the Embedded Server option allows fully independent operation.
The Embedded Server option combines a powerful CPU, a freely accessible SSD, more memory and a remote software development access method using standard Linux remote shell. This enables an open platform where users can run their own software while at the same time still being connected via LAN for remote access. For example, with the option installed users could run a program to acquire and analyze electronic signals in a fully automated process. Then, whenever desired, the user can choose to transfer just the information (waveform data or calculated results) that is needed in a client-server based software process.
This capability is claimed to make the digitizerNETBOX ideal for data logging and surveillance applications where signals are required to be monitored over long periods of time. The units can work autonomously collecting and analyzing data for hours or even days on end. The results can be stored on the internal SSD and then, whenever needed, the important information can be accessed via Ethernet. The digitizerNETBOX can even be set up to send notification emails or alerts over the LAN, or offload stored data as soon as it’s connected again to the network.
The digitizerNETBOX series products are shipped factory tested with Spectrum's SBench 6 Professional version software, support drivers for most popular programming languages and a two year manufacturer’s warranty. Technical support, including software and firmware updates, is available free of charge.